[giantg2]

Without the software, how will they know it's time to release?

Also, if you release someone and the system still shows them as being in there, that could lead to a very bad interaction for that person if they have any official interaction with authorities while they are out.

[worik]

You assume that not only was there a bug in the software (in that it had not been updated to follow the law) but also it was terribly designed in that it could not cope with manual overrides.

Not a terrible stretch. You are probably correct.

[anticensor]

> it could not cope with manual overrides.

Or, more likely, it lacked the manual override mechanism at all.

[x86_64Ubuntu]

None of those problems cited are the problems of the inmate/ex-con. It's the state that is choosing to go ahead with implementing buggy software affecting people's freedom, it's the state's duty to make things right.